Bandsaw blade welding

My bandsaw uses carbon steel blades and rather than buy them individually, I have bought a roll of blade stock and weld them up when needed. It's taken me a while to get a reasonable success rate, but here I run through the things I have discovered about making up blades this way. (in the clip I describe doing this as difficult, simply because there are lots of little things that can trip you up)
I'm a self-learning welder, so if there are any professionals out there who spot room for improvement, please comment below.

[@garyronan5568]

When I was a teenager ( back in the mid 1960's )the schools in America had metal shop classes and I was taught to braze band saw blades. Very similar to silver soldering them but I believe brazing gives a stronger joint. The vertical band saws we used had electric band saw welders included on them but the instructor wanted us to learn to do it the hard way as well! No TIG welders back then and arc was way too hot so brazing with oxy/acetylene was the only way. Several year's ago I bought at auction a Harbor Freight band saw welder. With fees it was $100.00 U.S.D. and it came with a couple of rolls of blade stock. Unfortunately for me it was for woodworking and I don't do woodworking so I sold them for almost the total cost of the welder. I have some longer blades than my saw takes so I have cut them down to the size I need and the welder works great. It appears that H.F. no longer sells this welder. Too specialized I suppose for the general public and besides, selling new blades all the time is far more lucrative!! Thanks for showing an old man another way to weld up his own blades!!

[@occasionalmachinist]

When I first got my bandsaw, I had a local saw shop make up some new blades; brazed. They botched it up such that the blades peeled apart on the first cut. I don't have gas welding gear, so for me it was TIG them together.

[@rexhorning7228]

Thank you for taking out the sound of grinding

[@occasionalmachinist]

I figure that if I'm going tobe wearing hearing protection, viewers don't need to hear it either

[@ioanardelean1936]

Super vide, all the blessings to you!! 😊

[@pijnto]

I was taught years ago to Silver solder Bandsaw blades by a Pattern maker a lot more involved but gives a better join in my experience, I have only ever joined blades for wood cutting saws

[@occasionalmachinist]

A proper lap joint has more surface area than what is effectively a butt weld, so any small inadequacy is less likely to matter. The reason I went this way was that I did not have the gear to sliver solder and when I had some blades made up that way by a saw place, they failed very quickly (the feathered edges caught and peeled apart). This is how I do it, just because I was not happy with the other methods available at the time.

[@KombiGarage]

Nicely presented, thank you.

[@occasionalmachinist]

I've been doing this for a while, so it's well practiced.

[@elanman608]

My father told me to planish the join to work harden the annealed portion.

[@occasionalmachinist]

I did do that for a while but it does not seem to make much difference to the outcome. The wheels on my saw are only small (180 to 200mm from memory) so I suspect that the flex involved is enough to do that. I don't recall hearing planishing as part of the sequence for resistance welds blades though, so it might just be one of those things that some people do and some don't with no clear evidence one way or the other.

[@vincentsaragossa6862]

Did you use a filler rod on the joint? If so, what are the specs? I have a knifemaker nearby who would like to have me be his "go to" welder for bandsaw blades and such.

[@occasionalmachinist]

According to the box the filler is Comweld LW1. Nothing special, just a steel filler rod

[@ericparsonage7938]

Problem with splicing in a piece of blade to repair a stuff up is that now you have to get it right for two joints.

[@occasionalmachinist]

Double the fun! 😁 Trouble is, grinding down the weld thins the blade, so while it might work once, trying to reweld the same section of blade a couple of times and you create a weak point. Far better to take a chance on fresh material - original thickness and no underlying material defects. A straight seam too, which for some reason seems easier to weld.

[@shahidbaigpakistantalent2283]

Good 👍

[@vincentsaragossa6862]

Also, what are the dimensions on the square stock? Looks to be inch and a half.

[@occasionalmachinist]

Not sure exactly what square stock you mean and the jig is made from just what I had lying around, but for scale the blade is 1/2" wide, and the copper block is slightly under 1-1/8" square

[@user-cd3jm6on3s]

Bon travail

[@saktheon]

Can the same technique (Arc weld and Anneal) be used for C62 Carbon steel bandsaw blades?

[@occasionalmachinist]

As the blade material is thin, you need really good arc control. I have heard of people using MIG, but I would suggest TIG as the best method. I think Stick would be very difficult (I usually use around 35 to 40 A for this) These blades are plain carbon steel and work. I've never tried on anything else. Perhaps an experiment or two on some old blade might be worthwhile.

[@saktheon]

@@occasionalmachinist Can you provide a link for the stick?

[@occasionalmachinist]

@@saktheon Stick welding is manual metal arc welding (MMAW). I think it would be too aggressive for welding thin blade stock unless you were using really small electrodes. I would not recommend it, and can't suggest any videos that use it for that.

[@bannyforester]

What kind of scissor to cut band saw blade.

[@occasionalmachinist]

I just used tin snips

[@bluepandavideos]

Your microphone cord stresses me out. I worry you'll cut it by accident. I highly suggest you put the cord underneath your top. 😊😊 I never knew you could make your own blades. I found this very interesting and informative. When you were grinding, how come you weren't wearing gloves? Won't the sparks burn?

[@occasionalmachinist]

Couple of safety things here. Firstly, I usually take the microphone off when working in case it does catch or get cut. it is cordless for that reason too. In cooler weather it does go underneath clothing but during warmer months I clip it on top. Light grinding like that, the sparks 'tickle'. With heavier grinding they will burn and even set things on fire. I try not to grind within 1/2 an hour of leaving the shed, just in case a spark does get excited. Gloves are a mixed blessing. Usually not recommended for use around rotating machinery in case they get caught up, they also can make things more difficult to manipulate. Typically when welding I will use an angle grinder while wearing gloves as everything is hot. Other times, less likely (but I always wear eye and hearing protection if you are wondering). Thanks for your concern though (and speaking up). Safety is important.

[@bluepandavideos]

@@occasionalmachinist ohh! Very fascinating. Thanks for clarifying. I look forward to your next video! 😊

[@ioanardelean1936]

So.. You've never used a grinder... Those little sparks on hand make from a man to be a real man!!! 😅😅

[@jacknissen6040]

Tig weld? it’s not clear

[@occasionalmachinist]

Yes, TIG weld

[@user-xf8rj4hg3w]

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